Dance

Every semester I take a course that is highly likely to set me in a mental space of discomfort. I started this practice because I am constantly asking my kids to lean in to their discomforts (ballet, swimming, parties, babysitters, etc.); only fair, right? 

This semester I am taking Modern Dance with Professor Deidre Cavazzi (you should know this woman--genius!). I've never taken a dance class before. At first, I wanted to quit. The class made me feel old and untrainable. I was envious of what other dancers could do (including wearing a bra with no support). I started realizing rather quickly that there were blocks between by body and brain. 

But then, I started picking up little pieces of choreography. My conscious and unconscious body started to move along with/behind my peers. I still have yet to approach a dance phrase with complete ease. I do believe that ease will come; just have to keep working to unblock my pathways.

I look at my peers, dancing across the floor. I wonder about their blocks, their pathways.

I look at my children. Already, their growing brains are filled with tiny little pathways that are polluted with blocks. Some of their blocks were likely created by us. Some by their environment. Some genetic. And knowing that life is filled with choreography that is designed to sync the body and mind into its full potential is a gift that I learned in this class.

April 25, 2016 (originally posted to Facebook)